Haruki gawked at the young man in the tux for an extended amount of time. Now that the shades were off, he could truly grasp the tender age of the youth sitting before them.
He couldn't be more than a teenager. Was he Ginger's bodyguard?
But what on earth was a teenager doing here, playing the role of a bodyguard?
"I don't need you here!" Kentaro's furious voice sliced through the air, directed at the young man. "Get. Lost."
"Please, Young Master, try to calm down," the youth pleaded, his hands raised in an anxious gesture, scanning their surroundings.
Sensing the situation spiraling, Haruki gently patted Kentaro's shoulder. "Let's take a seat first."
Ginger listened, though his fiery gaze remained fixed on the person in the black suit.
Haruki fetched their drinks and settled beside Kentaro, while the waitress delivered the bodyguard's coffee. Simultaneously, they were politely reminded to keep the noise down.
The youth's striking appearance captured the hearts of many young girls in the café, making him stand out even more, especially in his opulent attire on this chilly day.
Well, isn't this great? We've become the center of attention; Haruki mused as he took a sip of his strawberry shake through a striped straw. A sudden chill shot through his teeth, causing him to wince and lightly cover his mouth with a clenched hand, enduring the cold sting.
Kentaro, on the other hand, seemed to have lost his appetite, his eyes fixed on the uninvited guest. He felt that his day had already been ruined.
Silence enveloped the trio for what felt like an eternity.
Finally, Haruki decided to break the ice. "So... Are you really Ginger's bodyguard?"
The youth's expression turned slightly peculiar upon hearing the nickname, but he nodded nonetheless. "Indeed."
"No," Kentaro retorted frostily.
Haruki: "..." And the awkwardness persists.
"I apologize for my rudeness, but..." the youth began, faint traces of uncertainty in his voice, "Who are you?"
With a grin, Haruki replied, "Oh, I'm Haruki Fukuda. Ginger's—"
"Bodyguard," Kentaro interjected, his narrowed eyes fixed on the youth. "He's my bodyguard."
Haruki: What's up?
Confusion furrowed the youth's brow. "I wasn't aware I had been assigned a partner for this task."
"So what?" Kentaro's readiness to engage in conflict was visible. "Haru is the only person I need, so you can leave."
The youth sighed helplessly. "I'm doing this for your protection, Young Master."
Kentaro stubbornly ignored him.
Haruki observed from the sidelines, feeling a twinge of sympathy for the guy, though it didn't stop him from enjoying his beverage.
Poor guy; he took another long sip through his straw. Family matters truly suck, don't they?
"Anyway, what's your name?" Haruki finally inquired.
But the other person hesitated.
"What, are you not going to share it?" Kentaro raised a condescending eyebrow. "Should I do the honors?"
"Young Master..."
"Akihiro Kayame," Ginger disclosed to Haruki without hesitation. "He's eighteen and works directly under Chairman Harada."
The youth was taken aback by such casual divulgence of his details.
"Oh, I forgot," Kentaro's frown deepened. "Outsiders aren't supposed to know your true identity. My bad."
"No, it's just that the chairman—"
"Back then, you only hung around me around because you were just following his orders, right?" Kentaro interrupted the youth with a sneer. "Those were your own words, Akihiro. Don't act dumb now!"
Akihiro opened his mouth to speak, but Kentaro shut him down, not allowing an explanation.
Haruki finally set his container down, having finished its contents. "Seems like you guys have some history. Should I be jealous?"
Akihiro wasn't sure if Haruki's remark was serious or not, but it certainly caught his attention.
"Are you a friend of the young master?" he asked.
"Yep. Not sure why he introduced me as his bodyguard, but I'm guessing it has something to do with his family again," Haruki tilted his head curiously. "Like, 'he's not supposed to get close to anyone here.' Correct me if I'm wrong."
"You're not wrong," Akihiro responded quietly.
Kentaro's anger surged, and he looked ready to explode. "Are you planning to report me then?! Make my life even more hellish than it already is?"
"Ginger, calm down..."
"Can't I have a moment of peace?" Kentaro's control over his emotions slipped away. Tears welled up in his eyes, threatening to spill. He wiped them away forcefully, bitterness lacing his words. "Every time I find a hint of happiness, it gets ripped away! Can't I have that, at least when I'm alone??"
Akihiro's heart sank as he witnessed the child's tears, but he found himself at a loss for comforting words. His mind drew a blank.
Yet, Haruki's response caught him off guard.
"Again, Ginger? I thought you promised you wouldn't cry anymore. You always do this..." Despite a hint of displeasure in his tone, Haru's words carried a gentle touch. Pushing the untouched chocolate milkshake toward Ken, he continued, "Here, I didn't buy this for you to waste it. Milkshakes are like melted ice cream, and ice cream makes people feel better. I don't want to hear a word from you until it's all gone."
"I'm sorry..."
"What did I just say?" Haruki tousled the messy ginger locks. "No tears, no words until you finish this. Understood?"
Kentaro nodded, drinking quietly. With his head lowered, he appeared remarkably obedient and well-behaved.
Akihiro couldn't help but be impressed. "I've never seen anyone baby him like this, except for his mother."
Hearing those words, Haruki, still stroking the child's head, replied simply, "If I don't do it, then who will?"
Akihiro fiddled with his cup and offered a faint smile. "You're right." After a prolonged silence, he spoke again, "You two must be very close."
"You going to tell them about it?" Haruki countered with his own question.
"Doing that would only make me a cruel person."
Haruki turned to face him. "Well aren't you?"
Initially, Akihiro had intended to deny it, but upon reflecting on how Ken might react, he shrugged helplessly in the end. "Perhaps I really am no different from the rest of the family."
Haru shook his head slowly, disbelief etched on his face. "Dude, at least make an effort to deny it."
"Even if I did, the Young Master wouldn't—"
"Listen, my guy. Ginger just wants you to prove that you're not like the others, but he won't say it," Haruki leaned against the table, resting his head in his hands.
Those words left the young man stunned. "But earlier, he even told me to leave."
"Yeah, because you kept saying 'my task this' and 'your father that,' as if being with Ginger is nothing more than an assignment. It's really irritating," Haruki snorted.
"I see," Akihiro looked even more defeated.
"Look, I don't know what really happened in the past, but judging from Ken's outburst earlier, you were his bodyguard when he was younger too, right?"
Kentaro shook his head in disagreement but kept his gaze lowered.
Akihiro answered nonetheless, "I was with him from the age of six to nine. Initially, it was just a duty, but before I knew it, I had grown fond of him..."
"Liar," Ginger mumbled.
"Young Master—"
"If you're going to lie, at least do it properly," Ken said.
"Hey, hey," Haruki lightly tapped his friend's head. "Let him finish."
Ken fell silent.
Haruki turned back to Akihiro. "You were saying?"
"I cared for him, but I couldn't get too close."
"Why not?"
"I wasn't allowed to," Akihiro explained.
Haruki pondered over that information for a moment. "So that's how it was. Back then, you had no choice but to follow orders, considering they were probably keeping a close eye on you."
"I do regret not being able to provide him with the comfort he needed. But during those years..." Akihiro's grip tightened around his cup.
Of course. He was young and bound by strict instructions, with consequences looming over his head. There was nothing he could do about it.
"How did you end up with that family, anyway?" Haruki couldn't contain his curiosity. "Do your parents work for them?"
"I lost my parents when I was little due to an accident they were involved in. I can barely recall their faces. All I know is that they were also bodyguards directly under the chairman. After their passing, Mr. Harada took me under his wing, so to speak. I practically grew up under his care."
"Was it him who raised you, or was it the family's staff?"
Akihiro remained silent.
And that silence spoke volumes.
"I should have guessed," Haru sighed. "Those people wouldn't lift a finger for one of their own, so it's no surprise they didn't raise you. They left you in the hands of the staff. They must be truly caring workers."
"They are. They were fellow colleagues of my parents."
"I'm curious though, why didn't Mr. Harada just entrust his own child to the care of the workers? Instead of isolating him completely, it would have been better to ensure he received the compassion he deserved."
Akihiro explained, "By the time we learnt about the young master's existence, he was already old enough to run around. We were instructed to keep our distance and keep his and his mother's existence a secret. That's why..." His dark gaze shifted to Kentaro, weighed down by lingering guilt.
Now Haruki understood why their personalities were like oil and water. Akihiro grew up in a vastly different environment from Ginger, who believed his mother was the only one who truly valued him in the family. No wonder breaking down his walls had been difficult...
Just as Haruki was about to move on to his next question, he felt a gentle tug on his sleeve. He turned to find Ginger placing the empty plastic container back on the table.
"Finished," Ginger mumbled.
"Good. Do you have something to say?" Haruki asked.
Kentaro shook his head.
"Then let's listen together," Haruki said, patting Ginger on the back. He then turned to Akihiro, resuming his interrogation. "Alright, I've heard the whole backstory and understand that it wasn't entirely your fault. You were young, and the decisions were out of your hands. But let me ask you this: why were you assigned as Kentaro's bodyguard after all these years? What does the big boss want?"
"I was sent to keep an eye on him," Akihiro replied.
"How?" Haruki furrowed his brow. "Are you supposed to report back about his daily routines and activities?"
"Most likely."
Kentaro's fists clenched in response.
"When you arrived here, you probably thought Kentaro was still in Tokyo, didn't you? That's what you were told?" Haruki inquired.
Akihiro nodded. "That's what they believe."
"Now that you know it's not true, were you planning on telling them? Or have you already done so?" Haruki pressed.
Kentaro's head jerked up, his eyes blazing with anger. Haruki raised a hand to calm him, and he reluctantly lowered his gaze.
"I haven't told them," Akihiro admitted.
"Why the hesitation? Weren't you planning on doing it?" Haruki questioned.
"Initially, I was," Akihiro confessed. "But now I can see it's not necessary."
"What made you change your mind all of a sudden?"
"The young master has managed to keep this secret for months now. I believe he can continue doing so without being discovered. I won't report it."
"How many people were sent to spy on him?"
"Just me," Akihiro replied.
"Why only you? Do they trust you that much?" Haruki eyed him skeptically.
"Yes," Akihiro answered, his confidence shining through. "They trust me."
Haruki was impressed by Akihiro's unwavering self-assurance. Most people would have hesitated.
"How can we be sure you're not lying?" Haruki posed his final question.
Akihiro hesitated, searching for a way to prove his innocence. But he couldn't find one. "I... I don't know."
Haruki studied him for a moment before sighing. "Fine, whatever. I'll believe you. And I believe you're genuinely sorry for your past mistakes. You want to be there for Ginger now, to make up for what happened, right?"
Akihiro offered a small smile. "Yes."
"Your family's certainly interesting," Haruki remarked, flagging down the waitress and gesturing toward Akihiro's now cold cup of coffee. "Can we have another cup of this? This one's gone cold."
"Yes, right away," the waitress promptly took the cup before Akihiro could protest, disappearing into the kitchen.
Akihiro didn't know what else to do. "That really isn't necessary. I'll pay for it—"
"Shut up and accept his money," Kentaro grumbled, his gaze fixed on the window, his expression resembling that of an annoyed puppy.
The other two stared at him, momentarily stunned. But then Haruki suddenly chuckled. "You heard him. Shut up and accept my money. After all, it's our fault your coffee turned cold in the first place."
Akihiro wanted to explain that he never intended to drink it; he was merely using it to warm his hands. However, before he could say anything, the waitress returned with a fresh cup of coffee, and Haruki promptly paid for it.
In the end, Akihiro had no choice but to accept the hot drink.
"Hey Hiro... can I call you that? Or maybe Aki?" Haruki pondered as they left the café. "I know you've promised to protect Ginger, but for today, could you let me handle the protection? After all, I'm the one who came here with him."
"If that's what the young master—"
"Yes, that's what I want," Kentaro coldly interrupted, turning to head in the direction of the clock tower. "Go wait somewhere else."
Akihiro felt stung, but could only quietly accept it.
Haruki placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, a kind smile on his face. "Don't worry. He may seem indifferent and intimidating in the beginning, but once he recognizes your good intentions, he'll open up."
A wave of gratitude washed over Akihiro. "Thank you, Haruki."
Haruki leaned in, offering some advice. "And perhaps, try avoiding the 'Young Master' title. It seems to trigger him. He's either unaccustomed to it or simply detests it."
Akihiro nodded, his smile widening. "You've only spent a few months with... with Mr. Kentaro, yet you understand him so well. He holds you in high regard."
Naturally; Haruki thought, being his savior and all. Still, the mention of 'Mr. Kentaro' stirred conflicting emotions within him.
"Anyway, let's go over the details of your stay and your report after the arcade today. Just to make sure Ginger understands," he suggested to Akihiro.
"Alright," Akihiro agreed.
As Haruki turned to leave, he halted abruptly, retracing his steps as if he had forgotten something crucial.
"Oh, and one more thing, Hiro," he said, his smile unwavering. "If it turns out you've been deceiving us this whole time..." Haruki's voice trailed off, leaving a chilling silence in its wake. "I'll make you regret ever setting foot here."
An icy shiver ran down Akihiro's spine, his body tensing involuntarily. He stared at the boy before him, barely a teenager, yet radiating an aura that warned against crossing him.
With a final pat on Akihiro's shoulder, Haruki dashed off to catch up with Kentaro, leaving Akihiro to release a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.
What was that? That pressure...
That same pressure had loomed over him during Haruki's interrogation, compelling Akihiro to answer truthfully and cautiously. He had appeared composed then, but it had taken every ounce of his willpower just to keep his own hands steady.
How could someone so young be this intimidating?
~~~~~~